Sitka Spruce Oregon Heritage Tree Site

once known as the
“Klootchy Creek Giant”
 or the “Seaside Spruce"

UPDATE: The Sitka Spruce tree fell victim to a hurricane-force windstorm on Dec. 2, 2007. The tree broke off at the old lightning scar about 80 feet above ground and the top portion fell to the ground and splintered. The 17-foot diameter trunk remains, and visitors can get a sense of the massive size of the tree. Large portions of the fallen tree will be left laying on the ground to become a “nurse log” for a new generation of the Giant. The park remains the first Oregon Heritage Tree Site.

Located at Klootchy Creek County Park, off U.S. Highway 26 about 2-1/2 miles southeast of the U.S. 101 junction, five miles from Seaside and Cannon Beach. The 25-acre park is owned by Clatsop County.

SIGNIFICANCE (Before the Dec. 2, 2007, storm)

• Largest tree in Oregon and one of the oldest living things in the state.
• Largest Sitka spruce in the United States as recognized by the American Forests, keeper of the National Big Tree Register. Shares honor with the Quinault Lake Spruce in Washington’s Olympic National Park.
• First Oregon Heritage Tree, a program started in 1995 recognizing trees for their contribution to Oregon history and heritage.
• Living legacy of the primeval coastal old growth rain forests of the Pacific Northwest.

VITALS (Before the Dec. 2, 2007, storm)

• Height: 200 feet
• Diameter: 17 feet
• Circumference: 673 inches or 56 feet
• Crown spread: 93 feet
• Age: Estimated 500 to 750 years old. The tree sprouted from a seed on the forest floor around the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. (The only way to determine the age is by counting the rings. There is no tree borer big enough.)

In early 2007, experts determined that time and nature had weakened the tree beyond saving. The tree was still alive but there were many dead limbs and rot inside. Several limbs had fallen off. A windstorm in December 2006 ripped a large section of rotted wood from old lightning scar out of the trunk about 80 feet from the ground. A fruiting conk of Phaeolus schweinitzii fungus on the face of the trunk indicated spreading rot inside

The tree was at the end of its natural life cycle and its health condition was irreversable. The tree was allowed to stand and fencing was erected to keep visitors at a safe distance in case it fell.

Sitka spruce is the largest species of spruce, typically growing 165 to 180 feet tall and lives as long as 700 to 800 years.

WHAT'S NEXT

Clatsop County is working with the Oregon Heritage Tree Program to develop an informational kiosk or display at the park to continue the tree’s legacy beyond its life. Donations can be sent to the Oregon Heritage Tree Program, c/o Oregon Travel Information Council, 229 Madrona Ave. SE, Salem, OR 97302, or online at www.oregontic.com. Clearly mark for the Klootchy Creek Sitka spruce.

For more information: Clatsop County Parks at (503) 325-8631